Thoreau
Biography:
Henry David Thoreau was another major figure in transcendentalism. Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts. He attended Harvard College when he was sixteen years old. While at Harvard he was exposed to Ralph Waldo Emerson's who later became his mentor as well as his friend. From 1841- 1843 Thoreau lived with Emerson. While there he helped Emerson edit the transcendentalist magazine, The Dial. During this time he also contributed poetry and prose to the magazine. On July 4, 1845 Thoreau moved into a small self built cabin on Walden Pond. He lived there for two years and later wrote a book discussing his experience. Thoreau's most famous essay, Civil Disobedience was published in 1849. His most famous book, Walden, Or Life in the Woods was published in 1854.
Key Quote from Walden:
"Some are dinning in our ears that we Americans, and moderns generally, are intellectual dwarfs compared with the ancients, or even the Elizabethan men. But what is that to the purpose? A living dog is better than a dead lion. Shall a man go and hang himself because he belongs to the race of pygmies, and not be the biggest pygmy that he can? Let every one mind his own business, and endeavor to be what he was made."
Analysis of Self Reliance Quote:
This quote expresses the idea that you can not waste your life spending time wishing to be something that you simply are not. People should stop comparing themselves to other people and instead they should just live their life. He says "A living dog is better than a dead lion." A lion is clearly thought to be a fiercer and better animal than a dog, but if a lion has died than they are no longer better than a dog that is living. This is a metaphor for humans. As long as you are living than you are great, so there is no reason to compare.
To find more information about Thoreau and quotes from Thoreau's various works, click here.
Commentary from the authors of the website:
"Thoreau's ideas are still viewed as true today. I agree with many of these ideas. For example, in the quote above he expresses the idea of living your life instead of comparing yourself to others. This is an idea that I believe if everyone lived by we would live in a happier world. Another one of Thoreau's major ideas is that we bust live our lives deliberately and with person. This idea can still be applied today and would probably help many people be happier." -Shannon O'Brien
"I agree with Thoreau's ideals of making your life simple. I think we stress about making our lives so perfect and pleasing others that we tend to forget to please ourselves. I think embarking on spirtual journeys helps people heal with different situtations they may be coping with. I think we should not complicate our lives but take some time everyday to find ourselves and do what makes us happy." -Brittany Cuellar
Henry David Thoreau was another major figure in transcendentalism. Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts. He attended Harvard College when he was sixteen years old. While at Harvard he was exposed to Ralph Waldo Emerson's who later became his mentor as well as his friend. From 1841- 1843 Thoreau lived with Emerson. While there he helped Emerson edit the transcendentalist magazine, The Dial. During this time he also contributed poetry and prose to the magazine. On July 4, 1845 Thoreau moved into a small self built cabin on Walden Pond. He lived there for two years and later wrote a book discussing his experience. Thoreau's most famous essay, Civil Disobedience was published in 1849. His most famous book, Walden, Or Life in the Woods was published in 1854.
Key Quote from Walden:
"Some are dinning in our ears that we Americans, and moderns generally, are intellectual dwarfs compared with the ancients, or even the Elizabethan men. But what is that to the purpose? A living dog is better than a dead lion. Shall a man go and hang himself because he belongs to the race of pygmies, and not be the biggest pygmy that he can? Let every one mind his own business, and endeavor to be what he was made."
Analysis of Self Reliance Quote:
This quote expresses the idea that you can not waste your life spending time wishing to be something that you simply are not. People should stop comparing themselves to other people and instead they should just live their life. He says "A living dog is better than a dead lion." A lion is clearly thought to be a fiercer and better animal than a dog, but if a lion has died than they are no longer better than a dog that is living. This is a metaphor for humans. As long as you are living than you are great, so there is no reason to compare.
To find more information about Thoreau and quotes from Thoreau's various works, click here.
Commentary from the authors of the website:
"Thoreau's ideas are still viewed as true today. I agree with many of these ideas. For example, in the quote above he expresses the idea of living your life instead of comparing yourself to others. This is an idea that I believe if everyone lived by we would live in a happier world. Another one of Thoreau's major ideas is that we bust live our lives deliberately and with person. This idea can still be applied today and would probably help many people be happier." -Shannon O'Brien
"I agree with Thoreau's ideals of making your life simple. I think we stress about making our lives so perfect and pleasing others that we tend to forget to please ourselves. I think embarking on spirtual journeys helps people heal with different situtations they may be coping with. I think we should not complicate our lives but take some time everyday to find ourselves and do what makes us happy." -Brittany Cuellar